


This Love is Ineffable

by PrincessDianaArtemis



Series: Ineffable Husbands AU Week [8]
Category: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: 6000 Years of Pining (Good Omens), 6000 Years of Slow Burn (Good Omens), Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Aziraphale and Crowley Through The Ages (Good Omens), Crowley Was Raphael Before Falling (Good Omens), Crowley's Name is Crawly | Crawley (Good Omens), God Ships Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens), Ineffable Spouses, M/M, Multi, Mutual Pining, Principality Aziraphale (Good Omens), Slow Burn, Snake Aziraphale (Good Omens), Snake Crowley (Good Omens), Starmaker Crowley, The Ineffable Plan (Good Omens), but not really, fledgeling, ineffable husbands
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-27
Updated: 2020-09-27
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:41:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,220
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26680813
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrincessDianaArtemis/pseuds/PrincessDianaArtemis
Summary: Aziraphale and Crowley had been made for one another - whether it be in Heaven or on Earth.It’s ineffable, after all.
Relationships: Aziraphale & Crowley (Good Omens), Aziraphale & God (Good Omens), Aziraphale & Jesus (Good Omens), Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens), Crowley & God (Good Omens), Crowley & Jesus (Good Omens), God & Jesus (Good Omens), Mr Cortese/Mr Harrison (Good Omens), Nanny Ashtoreth/Brother Francis (Good Omens)
Series: Ineffable Husbands AU Week [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1931962
Comments: 17
Kudos: 138





	This Love is Ineffable

**Author's Note:**

> I made it to the end! Thank you so much for those that stuck with me this week I'm so glad you've enjoyed the work and I've had so much fun writing them.
> 
> This one isn't a far veer from canon, because they are Soulmates.
> 
> Crowley is Raphael to me - but only sorta - and only because it's the only way Aziraphale can be 'of Raphael'.

The Almighty plays a game of her own making - but sometimes even the pieces get away from Her without Her noticing. After all, being omnipotent did not mean alway being omniscient - She needed Her rest sometimes.

When She planned the heavens and Her angels She created them in pairs - it made things easy that way. Archangels, both those she created for the position and those that ascended to that position, would have their Principalities to protect them - some of them would be mates and some would find their mate elsewhere. 

It didn’t always work out - Gabriel had found his mate elsewhere and Lucifer’s love of himself and his world made it difficult to have a mate for him - but there was one pair She had been happy about.

The angel that would’ve ascended to archangel, Rafael - Rafael the Elder to differentiate him from the one that would eventually replace him - was a starmaker and healer, and with his kindness, dedication, and stubbornness would’ve made a great addition to the ranks of Archangels.

As She prepared for her decision, She fashioned a principality worthy of a radiant being. She pulled starlight from the latest of Rafael’s nebulas and gave him sweetness - a bit of a bastard streak - and curiosity for life. When She’d finished the little cherubic looking fledgling, surprise ran through her incorporeal form - he was a perfect complement to Rafael - the most perfect pair of mates she’d created.

She named him Jophiel and sent him to Michael for training until the time was right for him to take his rightful place at Rafael’s side.

But the war came and the young angel was sent to battle, scolded for protecting fledglings younger than him in battle and her hypervigilant Archangels felled one of their own. The one of them that would’ve opened their eyes to the beauty of Earth and covered their tracks by making Raphael the Younger an Archangel in his stead.

The Almighty was upset, Her shining star had been extinguished - and Jophiel had lost his mate. So She built a reminder for Her overzealous children of what they’ve deprived the world of and renamed the principality to Aziraphale - of Rafael - so they’d always be reminded of the sibling they’d thrown into sulfur.

“Gabriel,” She asked, looking through the heavens for the being She felt absent, “where is Aziraphale?”

The overly-bright smile on Gabriel’s face didn’t match the dead look in his striking violet eyes, “He’s been reassigned - guarding the Eastern Gate though,” he paused, “last I heard he’s been making friends with the humans - not his job. We’ll get him back on track.”

A storminess started overhead as the Almighty processed. Did they know what they’d done? Put a Principality on Earth, with  _ humans _ , when he had no one else to protect? 

“Why is he there? His job is to protect - but not without direction,” asked the Almighty, storminess rumbling and making Gabriel nervous.

“He can’t get into trouble down there. All he has to do is stand on the wall and protect it from the other side,” said Gabriel, smile now twitching. “He really didn’t have a - a  _ purpose  _ here without an archangel so - we repurposed him.”

The Almighty huffed, indignant, and disappeared to take a peek at Aziraphale in his new position. Just as Gabriel had said, Aziraphale wasn’t stiff-backed on the wall, instead he sat on a rock and talked to Adam and Eve, enraptured by the questions they were asking and their own discussion on the creatures and plants of Eden.

_ And just like that, the Angels have made their own enemy - a being that will defend Earth against them. _

She shook, the equivalent of a head-shake and retreated once again. There would be a price to pay for that.

-

When She’d sent that first storm to Earth, She was curious as to what would be happening to the two humans - and to see what Azirpahale would do now that he was out of a job again.

To Her surprise, the angel had found someone to share this storm with. Black feathers and scaly patches on exposed skin marked this friend as a demon, one that he was sheltering from the storm under his wings. The demon, for their part huddled close, tucked in and comforted by the being that should be their enemy.

The Almighty took a closer look at the curling red hair and the eyes that were gold and snake-like but very close to its original color - a zap of shock ran through Her form. After everything, Her starlight and his mate had found each other and, by the sense of it, there was a connection already being made.

“Metatron,” She said upon arriving back to Her corner of the sky. “I want Aziraphale to be appointed to Earth. He is to stay there and keep an eye on the Serpent - he knows the humans more than any of the other guardians. I think he’ll be good down there.”

The Metatron raised an eyebrow, not a question but a silent judgement, and turned to give the order not daring to disobey the Almighty. For his part, he relayed the message to Aziraphale’s superior and Gabriel was surprised by the announcement.

“Really? Him?”

“Ours is not to question, young one,” said Metatron. “And She works in mysterious ways - maybe this is how you get rid of your Scarlet Letter.”

Gabriel didn’t say anything, but pouted about it to the rest of the archangels when the time came to officially give Aziraphale the job on Earth.

-

For centuries, the Almighty kept to Herself, peeking onto earth to see what was going on and tracking Aziraphale and Her starlight - Crawly as he was dubbed by Hell - curious as how falling affected their bond. The spark of joy when Crawly realized that Aziraphale was there at the loading of the Ark and then the consecutive forty days they spent together within - protecting the saved children.

“Don’t try and convince me to let them go,” hissed Crawly, back in the form of a snake and coiled around a clutch of eggs that were children in disguise. “They’re damned now - going againsssst the Almighty’ssss wishes and all.”

Aziraphale chuckled, pressing down between the snake’s eyes in a soothing circle, “I suppose there’s nothing I can do, you wily thing. But I think you’re much more comfortable in this cramped space. I should stick around and keep an eye on you.”

The Almighty, finding him very cute in his disobedience, allowed him to go ahead with what he was trying to do - which was shift into a snake to match Crawly. So she allowed him to turn into a white python, yellow markings woven into the scales, and cloudy eyes that honed in on the clutch and the demon protecting it. 

And the two, oblivious to the nest they’d created, curled there for the time that the ark stayed afloat - only uncurling to get comfortable or so to scent one another. Shifting back when land was sighted, they helped reestablish the children in their new home and parted ways without more than a ‘fare thee well’. The Almighty felt the little zing of affection that encircled the pair and felt Her joy return, brightening the sun and Her rainbow.

The pair of them became Her favorite thing to observe on Earth - never letting them distract Her from the work that She was meant to do - including the birth of Her son on Earth.

-

“Dear, we need to go,” Aziraphale said, giving a gentle pull on Crowley’s wrist.

She shook her head, “Not yet. Not until they entomb him.”

Aziraphale nodded, though she couldn’t see it, and allowed her fingers to interlock with his as she followed the train of mourners carrying Yeshua’s body.

“This isn’t fair,” said Crowley, voice shaky. “These wankers think that they’re teaching is better so instead of teaching harder they put a man to death. What good holy men, I can’t wait to see them down in Hell.”

Aziraphale swept his thumb along her hand, “I’m not  _ encouraging  _ you, but if you _ happen _ to cross paths with them in Hell - give them a swift kick in the rear for me.”

Crowley, for once in their encounter, gave a little chuckle, “Course not, angel. And I don’t usually hang around the torture room - much too messy but…I’ll deliver this present just for you.” 

With a happy wiggle, Aziraphale gave a quiet noise that was almost a thanks and the Almighty, through mourning the death of Her son, let herself bask in the wave of affection that permeated the somber atmosphere. 

After Yeshua arrived and made his place at Her side, he looked down at where Aziraphale and Crowley were saying goodbyes and beamed.

“I knew two beings so sweet could only belong together.”

The Almighty let out a rumble of laughter that he matched with the brightness of his smile, “Yes - my two lovebirds - impossible and ineffable.”

-

It was the attraction, the lust that She felt in Rome as she watched Crowley turn as red as his hair while Aziraphale slurped oysters, oblivious to his friend’s plight. And the relief that melted into shy agreement to the - Arrangement. 

At that, She had given such a cry of despair that Metatron had come swooping in wondering what was wrong and finding Her zipping through her office muttering about ‘stupid mates’ and ‘ how can it be taking so long’.

The affection that melted into the real sweet, honeyed string of love as Aziraphale gave Crowley a sparkly-eyed look that the demon obsessed over, throwing himself into Hamlet’s success, until the sounds of an angelic steed echoed through London and announced Aziraphale’s return - and the matching little stutter of a heartbeat, the same honey-sweet string as Aziraphale basked in Crowley’s gift to him.

Paris was the first time that She’d felt her darling Principality feel something stronger than the lulling waves of affection, when that familiar sweetness became spiced with cinnamon-hot lust. Happiness that had started spreading sunlight in darkened corners of the world dimmed when Crowley, happy that Aziraphale was in one piece, shipped him back to London before he could get hurt. 

Aziraphale left, pouting, and left Crowley to his privacy as he - eased away the tension of their meeting. 

But it was after Aziraphale opened his bookshop that the Almighty was at her most excited - and most stunned by their stupidity.

-

“I’m so glad they didn’t send me back,” Aziraphale said over his glass of wine. “Not much for me up there anyway. ‘S not like there’s someone waiting - not like my old job is still available.”

“Y’re a principality - y’re job is to protect humans down here,” said Crowley, then processed his words and squinted his eyes at him. “And wha’d’ya mean ‘no one waiting’?”

Aziraphale sighed, putting his glass down to fiddle with his waistcoat, “I was supposed to be the principality to an archangel - ‘cept he - he fell. And y’know what I mean, you were an angel once - I - I don’t have a mate.”

Crowley paused mid-sip, “Wh-which one? And - honestly, angel,  _ everyone  _ has a mate - well except the king down,” he pointed towards the ground, “down there y’know.”

“I was  _ supposed  _ to be the protector of the angel Rafael. Well, Rafael the Elder, Raphael the Younger rejected me the minute I was introduced to him,” said Aziraphale, pouting. “And my - my mate also fell. The older angels, the ones who aren’t - aren’t rude, they tell me that my aura is just like Rafael’s. They think he was meant to be my mate. Maybe it’s why She changed my name, to remind me of what I will never have.”

From Her perch where She watched this scene played out, the Almighty rumbled, “No, no, little one. That wasn’t what I meant at all.”

Hands trembling, Crowley placed his glass on the table, drops of wine spilling on the dark wooden surface, “Your name?”

“Jophiel was my name before. I was given the name Aziraphale as a reminder of who I belonged to, who I’ll never have - ‘of Raphael’,” Aziraphale looked down sadly at his hands wringing on his stomach. “And - and you, dear, did you find your mate?”

The Almighty leaned forward on Her cloud perch, “Do it, starlight,  _ tell him. _ ”

“I - ngk - I,” stammered Crowley, red seeping into his face and offsetting the freckles. “N-no, angel. I did my little dance down into sulfur before I found my mate. And - and they’re not in Hell.”

Aziraphale made a little noise and a wave of affection and nervousness muddled the air between them, “Oh? Do you - do you have any hopes of - of finding them?”

Crowley, snake-like, swayed from side-to-side, unaware of what he was doing, “Maybe - maybe I - don’t need a mate, angel. Maybe, I like not being tied down…make my own decisssions this way. Besides, there’ssss no better company than the one I’ve found myself.”

The wine-pinked cheeks darkened as Aziraphale fought not to thank Crowley for the almost kind words he said and the intensity of the affection flooded the room until, had the feeling been tangible, it would’ve choked the two entities within.

Instead of mulling over the sweetness of the feeling, they turned to the less sweet wine until they had celebrated the opening of the bookshop until early morning.

-

It was the pang of fear that dragged Her attention to Crowley pacing along the edge of the duck pond at St. James. The swans were tracking him with pinprick eyes as they honed into his bread-empty hands and wondered why they hadn’t been fed.

Fear and desperation snapped away into hurt and fury when Aziraphale denied him the Holy Water he wanted and how the angel’s own worry melted into his own spark of anger forcing the two their separate ways - heart heavy and mourning the delicate nature of their Arrangement.

The Almighty couldn’t help but follow Aziraphale - Crowley having cocooned himself for a long nap - proud of Her principality that found his niche to protect but wishing that She could let him know that Crowley was his to love and keep.

After half a century, She had the pleasure of seeing them - even if it was at the loss of one of Her churches - getting back together. Even more - She let the rolling waves of affection and relief that - 

“Oh,” She said, feeling how the soft, silkiness of Aziraphale’s affection spiked and became something greater - when it became  _ Love  _ and twined around the Love of Crowley towards him. “Oh, my sweet angel, I knew you were capable of so much affection but this,  _ this _ , is stunning.  _ This  _ is why I created life so that this affection - your affections for each other.  _ This _ is the right plan - the  _ Ineffable  _ Plan.”

Feelings that only intensified and turned that lust of Soho into smooth melancholia when bombarded by the intense cloud of Love between Aziraphale and Crowley while they sat in the Bentley and admitted their feelings in the words they could say.

The Almighty sighed and at her side, Yeshua let out a quiet mumble that got louder,  “Are you  _ sure _ you can’t meddle a little? This is painful.”

“They have to figure it out on their own. They’re almost there.”

-

The years they spent at the Dowling household almost was the breaking point. If the Almighty ate, She would’ve been snacking on popcorn as She watched the shy flirting and courting of Brother Francis and Nanny Ashtoreth. Then leaned as far as She could to catch a glimpse of the burning intensity of Cortese and Harrison as they seduced each other almost to the brink and then swirling back down as they came back to their own - back to Aziraphale and Crowley.

Then the fight, and the discorporation, and the ping-ponging dizziness of the end of The End of the World, and finally the escape by the skin of their teeth from the unauthorized punishments until things settled back down and they caught their breath.

“Alright,” She said to Yeshua. “Now I get to meddle. The Ineffable Plan is in full affect.”

She dropped a feather - two feathers - one of black and one of white and let them lay in the bookshop’s back room where her favorite couple could see them. It was Crowley that saw it first, snapping a miracle to send them away with a blush dusting his cheeks - but they wouldn’t disappear. He stopped trying when even picking them up and tossing them didn’t stop them from reappearing in the backroom. 

When Aziraphale caught a glimpse of the book, face finally lifting from the book he was devouring, he went over and picked them up, stroking them with reverent fingers and waited until that night when Crowley was sprawled across the couch to bring it up.

“Crowley,” he said, fingers dancing over the rim of his glass, “do you remember when - when we talked about mates?”

Trembling fingers rested the now downed wine glass onto the table as Crowley turned his attention on his angel, “‘Ziraphale, that was a long time ago. Why? Did you happen to come across them?”

Aziraphale let out a shaky breath before meeting Crowley’s full-snake eyes, “Yes, I - I believe I have.”

The Almighty felt sunnier than ever, trying to keep her shine to the side of the world that was still seeing sun and not to the darkened London sky.

For his part, Crowley looked a little panicked as the color drained from his face, “I - I -  _ wot _ ? Did you - you find them while you were down in Hell pretending to be me?” 

“No, darling,” said Aziraphale, a little smile spreading on his face. “I’ve been obtuse for far too long. I think - I think that I always knew who was my mate - the only person that ever put up with me.”

“O - oh, yeah? Who?”

Aziraphale huffed and moved from his usual spot in the armchair to the couch, back against one of Crowley’s legs and sitting dangerously close to the apex. He reached out a hand and waited a breath away from his cheek, “Is it okay?”

Crowley nodded, swallowing through the thick, cottony feel of his mouth as Aziraphale cupped his cheek.

“My love,” he said, feeling the shiver that ran through Crowley’s body. “It’s always been you, hasn’t it? And you knew but - but you waited for me to realize. My dearest,” he thumbed across the sharp cheekbones under his grasp, “I’m done pretending - you can go a little faster.”

A little whine slipped through Crowley’s mouth as he leaned forward, forehead falling against Aziraphale’s, “You’re  _ mine,  _ Aziraphale. From creation. My principality, my mate, my love.”

“Yours, my love, as you are mine,” he said, upturned nose brushing Crowley’s. “May I kiss you, darling? I’d really like to - that is if you - ”

He didn’t get to finish as Crowley pushed forward and kissed him, sliding closer until his legs were bracketed around Aziraphale’s plush form and his hands wove around his middle to tug him impossibly close. 

Hands held on, gentle but demanding as their one kiss into one  _ long  _ kiss and the Almighty, pleased, pulled the curtain to give them their privacy. After 6000 years, She figured they could have as much time as they wanted to each other.


End file.
